by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator
Spring is quickly becoming evident at Rock's Roost, and with its arrival the behavior of the animals is changing faster than the weather. Spring is the mating season, and for the barnyard fowl in particular, it is now or never. If they don't get their families started in the spring, their hormones recede and they must wait another year to delve into the joys of parenthood.
There is only one little brown hen left at The Roost, and she usually chooses to hide in the chicken coop rather than face abuse by the half-dozen or so remaining roosters if she dares to roam outside. I will probably bring in some more little pullet chicks in a few weeks and get the chicken situation back in balance.
The five geese are all roughly the same size, which means they all could be one gender, but one acts differently. One goose is much more docile than the others (sweeter). I throw out dry dog food for them once a day, and four routinely ignore it, but the sweet one has figured out that she loves the high-protein snack and busies herself eating hers and theirs. That same goose has also made a couple of recent feints at nesting, though she has yet to lay an egg. An educated guess would suggest that the gaggle has at least one female.
It is the peacocks, however, who are bursting at the seams with the juices of spring. Of the remaining peacocks, two are males and three are female. Even if the guys were into sharing, three does not divide evenly, so there would be problems. And were there ever problems this spring! The males initially fought and then seemed to divide the yard into separate territories. The females generally ignored the entreaties (screams and tail displays) of both of the big stud birds, but would occasionally keep company with one or the other. Generally, though, the girls stayed in a group among themselves.
One of the male peacocks who ruled the back half of the yard where the barn and their old home, the aviary, are located, decided that I was a threat to his dominance. That bird took to trying to attack me each time I headed for the barn, and his attacks were of a serious nature. (He would jump up and try to get at my neck and face with his spurs - and he would also chase me.) His aggressiveness was something that could not be tolerated, so one morning I let him chase me into the aviary, and then I quickly locked him in. A few days later I managed to coax one of the peahens in to join him. Now he has calmed down and the happy couple seem to be making the best of their confinement. The other two hens and peacock are still free and doing fine - and they have given up sleeping in trees at night and decided instead to roost in the safety of the enclosed chicken coop.
So the peacocks are settling down. They should soon begin laying eggs, a process that will last several weeks.
Today's poetry selection is a fragment of sanskrit that gives an good description of the peacock's mating dance. It was untitled, but I am calling it "The Peacock Dance." The piece was written by Yogesvara and translated by John Brough. Please enjoy!
Poetry Appreciator
Spring is quickly becoming evident at Rock's Roost, and with its arrival the behavior of the animals is changing faster than the weather. Spring is the mating season, and for the barnyard fowl in particular, it is now or never. If they don't get their families started in the spring, their hormones recede and they must wait another year to delve into the joys of parenthood.
There is only one little brown hen left at The Roost, and she usually chooses to hide in the chicken coop rather than face abuse by the half-dozen or so remaining roosters if she dares to roam outside. I will probably bring in some more little pullet chicks in a few weeks and get the chicken situation back in balance.
The five geese are all roughly the same size, which means they all could be one gender, but one acts differently. One goose is much more docile than the others (sweeter). I throw out dry dog food for them once a day, and four routinely ignore it, but the sweet one has figured out that she loves the high-protein snack and busies herself eating hers and theirs. That same goose has also made a couple of recent feints at nesting, though she has yet to lay an egg. An educated guess would suggest that the gaggle has at least one female.
It is the peacocks, however, who are bursting at the seams with the juices of spring. Of the remaining peacocks, two are males and three are female. Even if the guys were into sharing, three does not divide evenly, so there would be problems. And were there ever problems this spring! The males initially fought and then seemed to divide the yard into separate territories. The females generally ignored the entreaties (screams and tail displays) of both of the big stud birds, but would occasionally keep company with one or the other. Generally, though, the girls stayed in a group among themselves.
One of the male peacocks who ruled the back half of the yard where the barn and their old home, the aviary, are located, decided that I was a threat to his dominance. That bird took to trying to attack me each time I headed for the barn, and his attacks were of a serious nature. (He would jump up and try to get at my neck and face with his spurs - and he would also chase me.) His aggressiveness was something that could not be tolerated, so one morning I let him chase me into the aviary, and then I quickly locked him in. A few days later I managed to coax one of the peahens in to join him. Now he has calmed down and the happy couple seem to be making the best of their confinement. The other two hens and peacock are still free and doing fine - and they have given up sleeping in trees at night and decided instead to roost in the safety of the enclosed chicken coop.
So the peacocks are settling down. They should soon begin laying eggs, a process that will last several weeks.
Today's poetry selection is a fragment of sanskrit that gives an good description of the peacock's mating dance. It was untitled, but I am calling it "The Peacock Dance." The piece was written by Yogesvara and translated by John Brough. Please enjoy!
The Peacock Dance
by Yogesvara
With tail-fans spread, and undulating wings,
With whose vibrating pulse the air now sings,
Their voices lifted, and their beaks stretched wide,
Treading the rhythmic dance from side to side,
Eyeing the rainclouds dark, majestic hue,
Richer in color than their own throat's blue,
With necks upraised, to which their tails advance,
Now in the rains, the screaming peacocks dance.
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